As we approach Christmas Day, despite the commercial frenzy, the anticipation of something significant grows.

As early as 221CE and definitely by 354CE the birth of Jesus was connected to December 25. The earliest written mention of December 25 as Jesus’ birthday comes from a mid 4th century Roman almanac (The Philocalian Calendar) that lists December 25 as: natus Christus in Betleem Judeae: (Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea). In fact, no one knows the true birth date of Jesus but even historians believe it to be somewhere in September through Biblical description. It is written that, at the time of his birth, shepherds were tending their flock, implying warmer weather. December 25 is in the heart of the cold Judean winter when shepherds are inside and so is the flock. And if we go back to the story of Jesus’ birth, he was said to be born of the virgin Mary. In astrology, the virgin refers to the constellation of Virgo (Latin for virgin), commonly depicted as a maiden with a sheaf of wheat, but Virgo is also known as the ‘house of bread’. Note that the Sun is in the constellation of Virgo during August/September, the time of the harvest in the northern hemisphere. Jesus’ alleged birth place Bethlehem means ‘house of bread’, therefore Bethlehem also relates to an area of the sky (Virgo), not necessarily a place on Earth.

The prominence of December 25 begins with Emperor Aurelian who made Sol Invictus (the Unconquered Sun) the state religion of Rome on December 25 in 274. In 313 Constantine made Christianity legal and by 380 Theodosius declared Christianity the religion of Rome. Naturally December 25 became the celebration of the birth of Christ, not Sol Invictus. And similarly, some years later, Charlemagne was crowned Emperor on Christmas Day in 800, King Edmund the Martyr was anointed on Christmas Day in 855, and King William I of England was crowned on Christmas Day 1066, the chart we use for England today.

We now associate Christmas with Christianity but what are the origins of Christmas and how is it related to astrology?

Before Christians adopted December 25 as the celebration of the birth of Christ, the northern hemisphere Winter Solstice was celebrated at this time of year. At the time of the winter solstice the days are short, the nights are long and cold and it’s a time for indoor activities and inner reflection. On the day of the solstice, and the 2 days following (22, 23, 24), the Sun ascends to the same point in the sky, which is also its lowest point south, and during this time it is closest to the constellation Crux (cross). The Sun appears to die on the cross. On the 3rd day, December 25, the Sun rises 1° higher in the sky and the day is slightly longer. Before the Solstice, the Sun is said to be “conquered” by the dark but, soon after, daylight hours begin to increase in length. The Sun is said to be reborn – the return of the Sun as King. At the March Equinox / Spring / Easter, the Sun officially overpowers the darkness, ie. is ‘resurrected, as the days become longer than the night. Hence our Sun’s yearly journey parallels the life of Christ (or is it the other way around?).

The pagan origins of Christmas stem back to ancient Babylon with the feast of the Son of Isis (Goddess of Nature), which was celebrated on December 25. Wild partying, gluttonous eating and drinking, and gift-giving were traditions of this feast. The Romans celebrated the solstice with the Saturnalia honouring Saturn, the god of agriculture. This whole celebratory season into January was called Dies Natalis Invicti Solis, the Birth of the Unconquered Sun.

And in ancient Egypt, the god Horus was born of the virgin Isis on December 25,
- his birth was accompanied by a star in the east, which 3 kings followed to adore the newborn,
- he began teaching at 12, was baptized by Anap at 30
- had 12 disciples that he travelled around with performing miracles (like healing the sick and walking on water),
- he was known by many names such as ‘the lamb of god’, ‘the light’, ‘the good shepherd’ etc,
- after being betrayed by Typhon, Horus was crucified, buried and was resurrected 3 days later…

But Horus is not alone; many other deities have a very similar story, for example:
- Attis the Phrygian
- Krishna
- Dionysus
- Mithra of Persia
- Odin
- Tammuz
to name a few. Jesus is just one in a long line of ‘solar’ messiahs.

In fact the ‘story’ of the birth of Christ as it relates to Christmas is purely astrological. The story begins with the bright star in the east that led the three wise men / kings to the baby Jesus. This bright star is Sirius. On December 24 it rises and aligns with the 3 brightest stars in Orion’s belt, commonly known as the 3 kings. They all point to the place where the Sun rises on December 25. The 3 kings follow the star in the east to mark the sunrise ie. the birth of the Sun. This brings us back to the pagan celebration of the Unconquered Sun, and let’s face it, without the Sun there’d be no light, no life and nothing to celebrate !

All hail the mighty Sun of God, and long may it reign in our skies, feed our crops, and bring bountiful harvests to all.

Hope you enjoy the season according to your own tradition and share it happily with your folk and kin.

Happy, Merry Solstice

2nd and 3rd image courtesy of Zeitgeist: The Movie (2007)

Well change is afoot, as if you didn’t notice. There is so much action on a global scale that it’s hard to know where to focus first. And it promises to get even more intense as the Nodes change sign. This is something they do every 18 months. Thursday 3 March at 12pm UT the Nodes moved from Capricorn/Cancer to Sagittarius/Gemini. The intensity around security and stability takes a back seat as communicating the truth becomes paramount. This is a “Wikileaks” bonanza energy – the truth will light up every newspaper, blog, screen and dial.

Sagittarius may have foot-in-mouth and tends to exaggerate but it is extremely honest and loyal. It’s counterpart Gemini has a tendency to scatter energy often having too many irons in the fire but with Sagittarian vision together they have the potential to realise big goals. Through the numerous connections and activities that fill up each day amazing opportunities will reveal themselves. The challenge is to pare away the excess and the unnecessary to get to the heart of the matter and don’t hesistate. The opportunities are short lived. And while detail threatens to cloud the bigger picture remember – it’s all in the detail.

Botany Bay
26 January 1788
5.23am
The rowboat reaches the shore and hoists the flag as the Aquarian Sun rises on the eastern horizon…

Australia
26 January 2011
8:32am
People wake to the peace that descends on a Nation having a day off…

Take a moment to stop and think. This was the day England claimed land that already had “owners”. The native people mourn this day while the invaders celebrate. It is indeed bittersweet and cause for reflection…

In 2011 focus on treating each other with mutual respect and remember that we are caretakers of the planet. We’re here for a short time and Earth graciously offers us respite, resources and recreation (amongst other things) during our stay. Reciprocate the gesture by giving back – offer respite, share resources, be playful with each other, and tend the land as your own body. The recent floods remind us the mother nature really is in charge here.

This sentiment is reflected in the Solar Return chart.
- the Moon sits high on the Midheaven in Libra: an easy-going, laid-back attitude
- Mars in Aquarius on the Ascendant: being independent and detached from what’s going on around us
- Solar Return Sun in the 11th: group activities (conj Mars) eg. a military BBQ with fireworks (Aquarius)
- Jupiter/Uranus in 1st: unexpected events, exciting new possibilites, a revolutionary stance

Please feel free to add your comments and observations

ARIES loves anything fast, red and hot, especially fast sports cars. Try sporty fragrances, a trip to the hair salon, skin care products, tickets to the races, a cactus plant, a dart game or rollerblades. Surprise them with a ride on a Harley Davidson motorbike.

TAURUS wants objects of value that stimulate their senses. A Lalique vase, diamond earrings, a gold chain, French perfume, silk lingerie, Beluga caviar, Moet champagne, silver goblets………the list goes on. Just empty out your wallet and they’ll be happy.

GEMINI needs mental stimulation – tickets to the movies, the latest bestselling novel, a mobile phone, fax machine, monogrammed stationery, a silver letter opener, headphones, a magazine subscription, gloves, or anything in pairs.

CANCER will appreciate anything you give them as long as its from the heart. These soft-hearted beings prefer the company of their loved ones so a ‘family’ dinner where they don’t have to cook would truly touch them. Kitchen utensils, silverware and pearls will definitely appeal.

LEO loves to receive gifts as long as they reflect their own personality. They love drama, music and all things creative. Tickets to the theatre, a play, a band, or to the latest art exhibition will bring them pleasure. A surprise party in their honour would have to top their list.

VIRGO loves to solve problems and work things more efficiently. Practical gifts such as a solar-powered calculator with their name engraved on it, a tool kit, or monogrammed, recycled stationery is sure to please. For something really different, offer to spring-clean their house.

LIBRANS delight in gifts that reflect artistic refinement. Consider an original pastel painting, silk lingerie, a hand-painted card with words of love, candles, mirrors, dinner for two or designer clothing. They prefer elegant fragrances with a subtle note.

SCORPIO loves intrigue and erotic undertones. Anything black of quality will please -a LBD, a leather wallet, or black lace underwear. They would also appreciate an insurance policy, a good detective story, and perfume with intense musk or spicy floral notes.

SAGITTARIANS love an adventure so send them on an outback safari or buy them hi-tech sport shoes. A suitcase, Swiss army knife, pushbike, or gym membership is also to their liking. They love animals so a new puppy would really make them smile.

CAPRICORNS want gifts that are traditional or represent status – real estate, antiques, classic fragrances, vintage wines, stocks and bonds, a leather briefcase, a ticket to the Museum. Family heirlooms such as jewellery and furniture are particularly appealing to them.

AQUARIUS rules all things unusual, unique and futuristic. Try giving them a reading by an Astrologer, crystals, a friendship ring, a laptop computer, a personalised mouse pad, a pyramid to meditate under, or membership at the planetarium.

PISCEANS are dreamers and romantics. Fine bed linen and herbal sleep pillows are a good choice, as are CDs, tickets to a concert or the ballet; write some poetry or create a tape for them to use in meditation.

I flicked through the channels last night and chanced upon a documentary on SBS “The Sex Blog Girls”. It was an interesting insight into Zoe Margolis, alias Abby Lee, who started a blog in 2004 called Girl With A One Track Mind (girlwithaonetrackmind.blogspot.com). Her sexual adventures drew an online readership of a quarter of a million a month. They were published in a book in 2006 and after a year of anonymity 3 days later she was outed by a newspaper. In the doco, Zoe explains how her public profile and eventual exposure by the English tabloid media has altered her life. Read the rest of this entry »